Texas Beer Experience

Next stop on our craft beer journey is in Katy, TX where we were joined by No Label Brewing co-owner Tom Paynter. Tom and Leo discuss the challenge of staying relevant during the pandemic and how No Label met the challenge head on and persevered.

We also tasted some great brews that included Golden Night Stout and Cali Boy IPA.

Brooks running shoes and Saint Arnold also enter the conversation as we learn about Tom's hobbies and inspirations.

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This week we met up with Omar Viengar and Shonna Flournoy, the Texas sales team for Mountain Fork Brewery. Mountain Fork is located in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, but you can find them on draft and in cans around Texas. We had lively conversations with Omar and Shonna about the best Ramen, road trips with family and solo, and Bigfoot. 

And, of course, we talked about the brewery and beer. They focus on brewing quality traditional styles of beer. Their flagship beer, Sneaky Snake, is a delicious Belgian Golden Ale that clocks in at 8.9%, but doesn’t drink like it. On sale and on display at H-E-B and Kroger is their Timber Creek Amber Ale, a versatile beer that pairs well with many types of food - great for the holidays! Look closely at their cans, and you’ll find Bigfoot! Omar and Shonna will be repping Mountain Fork around H-Town this month. Catch them doing tastings at H-E-B and Kroger. 

Visit them at Thistle Draftshop on November 20th for a fundraiser for a women’s shelter. They’ll have a raffle, silent auction, and tie-dying. Kids are welcome. You can also visit them at the Wild West Brew Fest, one of the best festivals in town. 

This was another fun episode recorded at The Cove. We are so thankful for them letting us use their space. Thank you for listening! Cheers! 

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This week we were back at The Cove with Garson Skelton, owner of Squats and Hops. His motto is “Train smart, drink crafty,” and he says it’s all about balance. Garson has been a Strength Coach for over a decade, and he offers several different training programs with great beer-related names, such as the “Homebrew” and the “Rotating Tap.” Whatever level you’re at, he has something for everyone. To enroll in one of the programs, visit squatsandhops.com. Tell him you listened to this podcast, and you’ll get 30% off your first month along with stickers from Texas Beer Experience and 10% off our merchandise.

You can find Garson and more info on his training programs at the following links:

Website: squatsandhops.com

Instagram: squats_and_hops

Twitter: squats_and_hops

Facebook: squatsandhops1

A big thank you to Garson for sitting down with us and to The Cove for the delicious beers and wonderful atmosphere!

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Cheers!

This week we visited Star Sailor for the last night of the Houston Tank 7 Burger Battle. It’s always a great time when we hang at Star Sailor, and this night was no exception. Scott Ganucheau from Boulevard Brewing gives us the story of their Tank 7 beer, and David Flores, Chef at Star Sailor, shares the details of his entry in the Burger Battle, a Smashburger that is freakin’ delicious.

We learn new things from Scott, such as pickleball and Khruangbin, and we have lively conversations about craft beer collections and how we first got into craft beer. We finish our conversation just in time to see the Astros become division champs!

Thank you for sharing your passions with us, Scott and David. Thank you, Star Sailor, for having us out for this fun event.

Go enjoy a Smashburger or any other amazing creation cooked up by Chef David Flores at Star Sailor, and drink a Tank 7 if you haven’t had it in a while. It pairs well with everything!

Thank you for listening! Cheers!

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We sat down this week with one of the kindest people in the beer business, Steve Vongrimm. Prior to working in craft beer, he worked in a group home and then for CPS. Steve shares how his past experiences inform his current position and how important empathy, authenticity, and relationships are to be successful and happy. Steve now works for Destihl Brewery, located in Normal, Illinois, and he covers their Texas accounts. At this year’s GABF, Destihl was awarded a bronze medal for their Haze of the Dead and a gold medal for Tour Bus. Destihl is also known for making some of the best sours in the game.

It was a pleasure getting to know Steve and hearing his insights on beer and life in general. Listen to the end to hear his unique road trip essential and last day on earth beer choice. He also invites you to Star Sailor Sunday, September 19th, starting at 3:00 pm for their End of Summer Charity BBQ. $20 gets you 2 BBQ meats and 2 sides, and all proceeds go to the Houston Food Bank.

Thank you, Steve, for sharing your time with us. Thank you to our friends at The Cove on Hamblen for welcoming us on a Thursday.

Visit 1886 Humble Backyard Saturday the 18th for the Humble Craft Beer Blowout. We met with them on our last episode. This festival is going to be a blast! Then visit Star Sailor Sunday the 19th for some delicious BBQ and to support the Houston community. Have a great weekend!

Cheers!

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This week we visited a hidden gem in Humble: 1886 Humble Backyard. We spoke with Jason and Krista about the upcoming Humble Craft Beer Blowout. On September 18th, they will welcome 30+ breweries from all over Texas! There will be many special beers to try, and there will also be award-winning BBQ by Pitmaker, axe throwing, bull riding, and vendors. Live music will include Jay Bee Zay and the Nightcrawlers, The Weeds, and the Chris Castaneda Project.

Not only is 1886 Humble Backyard a kick-ass craft beer spot and a bar, but they are also an amazing venue. They have a beautiful outdoor patio with 27 taps in the outside bar. And if you visit on a Saturday or Sunday, check out their legendary Bloody Marys. Visit their Facebook page for more of what’s going on and for more information on the upcoming festival.

Get your tickets today and mark your calendar for September 18th for the Humble Craft Beer Blowout! It’s going to be a blast!

BONUS!! On this week’s episode we are also premiering ‘Hot Cheetos’ a new song from our buddy Matt Lopez aka Matt Brian featuring Lord Lorenz! Make sure to listen to the end of the episode to hear this great track!

Cheers!

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For this weeks episode we are once again joined by Sylvia Benavidez, Houston Beer Mother and Leader of the Houston Beer Guide Blog. August is Houston Beer Month and we discuss guest contributions on the blog including one from yours truly and the big celebration at Star Sailor on Saturday, August 28! 

Several beers were had including the newest hazy pale ale, Harmony from Saint Arnold. We also discuss the Top 5 IPA's in Houston and my top 5 and it appears that I still have a lot of love for Spindle Tap IPA's! 

Thanks for listening to the show!

Houston Beer Guide Links

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This week we took a short jaunt to Pearland to visit with Valle and Brian, the head brewer/owner and brewer of Vallenson’s Brewing Company. Valle shared with us stories of his background and initiation into brewing amazing beer. We learned the origin of the name Vallensons’ and how involved his family is at the brewery. Including one son who is making soda that has become very popular!

Valle and Brian’s attention to detail and creativity are evident in the beers they brew. They focus on quality, the importance of water chemistry, and listening to their customers. Valle has been brewing for 25 years and the first beer he brewed as a homebrewer was his oatmeal stout. That beer became Settlers’ Oatmeal Stout, which was awarded a gold medal at GABF 2020!

Thank you, Valle and Brian, for making us feel welcome and for sharing your delicious Nobi wings and dumplings and your delicious beers.

Shout out to Lazarus Brewing Company in Austin, who came up in conversation about places you must visit on a road trip. We featured Lazarus in our blog post, Four Must Stop Breweries in Austin.

You can visit Vallensons’ Thursday through Sunday. Hang out in their beautiful taproom or their spacious outdoor area. They will make you feel like family!

Thank you for listening! Cheers!

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What a joy it was to sit down with John Ferguson, Co-Founder and Manager of New Magnolia Brewing. Located on Bevis Street in Houston Heights, New Magnolia will celebrate its 2nd anniversary in November. They make some of the best beers in Houston, and we got to try some!

We started with the Heights Light Lager, a bronze medal winner at the U.S. Beer Open Championship. We also tasted Hella Pils, Czech Style Amber, WYSIWYG, and Tropical Splitz. We learned the origins of the names of WYSIWYG and Ennio Pils. And we talked about their Revolution IPA, a series using the same malt base with different hops.

Our road trip conversation diverged into a discussion about the best BBQ in Texas. And if you want to try the beers that John would drink if it were his last day on earth, you’ll need to visit the brewery. They are open 7 days a week. Make sure to check out their art wall. The art is for sale, and they rotate the artist every 3-4 months.

Our conversations with John were so good. Thank you, John, for spending time with us. Thank you, The Cove on Hamblen, for being so generous with your space. Thanks for listening!

Cheers!

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This week’s episode features Equal Parts Brewing. They are located in Houston’s 2nd ward, east of downtown. We were so excited to chat with Matt Peterson (Owner, CEO, Janitor, etc.) and Josh Samples (Sales Manager Extraordinaire). We started off by talking about what we were drinking: Entropic, on draft at The Cove on Hamblen. A delicious, tropical, balanced IPA. We learned that they went through 5 - 6 experimental batches until they got it just right. Next, we talked about the name change they went through, from Sigma to Equal Parts Brewing. They also have some unique names for their beers, and we delved into a few of those. The Big Lebowski is a big influence. Then, we discussed their Exotic Series. These are Tiki-inspired sour beers that are available in the taproom only. They mimic the taste of cocktails. Two of them are Pain Killer and Navy Grog.

Equal Parts just opened their new, beautiful taproom. It is open every day. You can also find their beers at H-E-B and other stores around Houston. And on August 12th, they will be in San Antonio at Elephant Cellar for their Brewer’s Dinner.

Thank you for sharing your time and expertise with us, Matt and Josh. Thank you, also, to Daniel and the amazing staff at The Cove on Hamblen, for always making us feel welcome and for $4 drafts on Tuesday! You can pick up dinner at The Cove as well, a delicious home cooked meal from Cathy’s Kitchen. Pick up is Monday through Friday. I had the Mississippi Pot Roast with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. It was so good!

Lots of great stuff this week. Thanks for listening! Cheers!

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